UTEP football notebook: Aaron Jones lost for season with broken ribs

On a miserable health day of practice Wednesday, UTEP began dealing with the worst possible news it could get: Tailback Aaron Jones, the nation's second-leading freshman rusher, is out for the year with broken ribs.

He even tried to play after the injury Saturday, but X-rays later revealed the damage.

"It's bad for us, I feel badly for the young man, as much work as he's put in," coach Sean Kugler said. "Him, Jameill Showers, Darrin Laufasa, it's tough to see them on the sideline."

The loss is especially tough because backup tailback LaQuintus Dowell injured a knee at practice Wednesday, as did tight end Kevin Perry. There is no prognosis yet on either and probably won't be until today.

If Dowell is out, that would leave Nathan Jeffery and Autrey Golden at tailback, with fullback Josh Bell also able to rotate in there.

Jones, the true freshman from Burges High, finishes his season with a freshman school-record 811 yards (90.1 per game) and four touchdowns with a per-carry average of 5.2 yards.

Running strong

Since founding a program three years ago, UT-San Antonio has worn a tag of "program of the future."

The present is turning out pretty sweet as well.

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The Roadrunners picked up a gritty 10-7 victory against fading Tulane on Saturday, their third consecutive victory that leveled their record at 5-5. In a big picture it was a bit of a mixed day, as there are now six teams from Conference USA bowl-eligible for five guaranteed spots, and as an FBS transitional member, UTSA's only way into a bowl no matter how many games it wins is if not enough teams are eligible, something that seems remote now.

But UTSA continues to lay a strong foundation, as this marked the first time it pulled out a game decided by seven points or fewer this season.

Inside the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter with the game tied 7-7, Tulane drove to the UTSA 42 before punting into the end zone, then the Roadrunners got a 62-yard pass from Eric Soza to Seth Grubb to set up a game-winning 34-yard field goal with 14 seconds left.

"Eric made the huge play late in the game to Grubb and, of course, then (Sean) Ianno came in there with the clutch field goal at the end," coach Larry Coker said. "At the end there, I didn't know whether to try and score (a touchdown) or just try and set it up, use time. That is what we did and it was a good strategy for us.

"Just really proud of our team. I told them there in the locker room I don't know if I've been any prouder of a group of young men than I am today with this group. They fought hard. Several times they could've folded and they never did."

UTSA, which has a bye this week, finishes at North Texas then at home against Louisiana Tech, and while there probably isn't anything beyond that, they are living in the moment anyway.

"Well again, we've got two games left and all we can do is win," Coker said. "If we win those two games, we'll see how it all falls."

On Monday, Soza was named one of 12 finalists for the Maxwell Award that goes to the nation's best quarterback.

Looking ahead

The division contenders that play this week are up against lower-tier teams. East leader East Carolina puts its 5-1 league record on the line at home against 1-4 UAB, while Marshall (4-1 in conference) plays tonight against 1-4 Tulsa. In the West, second-place Rice (4-1) hosts Louisiana Tech (3-2) in what counts as the marquee game of the week.

Southern Miss puts its FBS-long 21-game losing streak on the line at home against Florida Atlantic.